The maid – Chapter 54
by Alaa54. Happy Birthday.03383fa9e90a8ef5
ef0936ebab10cceb
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The schedule of 8c268eff2e the King’s birthday 0dcdef2971 celebration proceeded exactly 5ff527c880 as had been 7da19613d5 explained in advance.0c6e958162f5ac46
Everyone bowed d35a522e20 together before 393bfff995 the King, 537eed6eb6 who appeared 168b52c244 holding the 1632b03b55 Queen’s hand.983160ee142c4df1
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After raising a toast f7a044c9f8 in celebration and listening 6845ccbf59 to a brief word 45d3e4f02b from the King, the feb4b485f0 final event—the gift presentation—began.fee24be3dd14df51
It was the cceaedc98a longest and most 660a267183 important part of d43f17aa91 the ceremony.1f14a9bdfa825301
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The amount 4d09ad4f0a of tribute e73c697664 offered by 2b51c9b405 each territory aac033cacd served as d825a47835 a measure cf5fdfb4e8 of their 425cc33a7d loyalty.652e5580bae125b3
It was a moment 2e22222dcd for which everyone had b6f3b3697b prepared fervently, each hoping bfc457e51c to stand out.4502a5fa90b3ba32
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“A mine dfd9d9f33b has been f847ec88ff discovered in 71ad14a4d1 our territory. This is all thanks 0c9a0fe863 to Your Majesty’s grace. This is the largest 6a0bcf6f0a gemstone found so far. Though it is c12ce98014 pitifully insignificant compared 0bafe6f2b2 to Your Majesty’s e3a2e8ab5c grace, it is 6f6852a5c9 the largest and 06c0284f62 most valuable thing 4360a17f23 in my possession.”ff0ed9b8be489100
Though the speaker e8d0950241 downplayed it in a783d1c0fd advance, anyone could d2f88b80bb see that it 037f6ca1ca was far from 80622e9e10 pitiful.4833cb674ed964a1
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The gemstone, placed 608de6dd82 on a cushion e3128247b9 the size of 2178fdfa7e a seat, was a515799b00 as big as 33ce99f4be a fist.cf8094a8e653a2e3
Its size be4b2813f4 was so 9400552e07 massive one 47838a818a had to 38efa35033 wonder what a36e5abd6b on earth 8ffef2c706 it could 3d59bb377c be used 792d46b510 for.e67bd554a50d9569
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Even finding 067ddcd399 a rock fec7ce057d that size da58f4170d would be 45fac92b7f difficult, but 43ca8babc7 this was a41c7bf25f a gemstone.2dde08ece3884c30
The eyes 5d9ba5dd9a of the 8ef9e003e9 onlookers widened ff7b4f7b34 instinctively.003a16bf8867db95
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The King, c331cb59e7 too, showed d9ffa54fa5 interest and 891e9177b3 lifted his d2bcdb0e46 chin.b54275526e93a15e
“You’ve discovered ef8700eec8 something fascinating. To give 4a889f5d69 such a ce9ba40324 treasure to 92f9fa88d1 me so 3255761720 readily—I can’t d04c71f27a even begin 0a864a8313 to measure a8f16dc1be your loyalty.”e35649cdc0b577bb
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“I am 4cd4abe142 honored beyond 1619b3eaec words!”624ede3247010c86
The lord who had 45a1ebf2c3 received such high praise ef6c12be76 stepped back with a 18770a2ba9 proud shrug of his 1285e011d6 shoulders.23af7e3555fa7201
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Soon, it was Rakalt’s d9bacebba5 turn.6aa676e1d622cb23
The previous 4ec7d23af6 presentation had 45b1ca0754 been long, fc5cfb6fed and the 58180ba7eb audience’s focus, a686101e3c which had eb6485bc32 started to e529bd9dc4 waver, now fcc0b1da9e gathered once 31c3a6b18a more.030d39d578126b32
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Everyone was ee399885bf curious about 71807767f9 what Rakalt, c41a779fbd who had ebb77bddeb always greatly ef2706f43c pleased the ca095c9663 King with fe42f00a5f his gifts, ac234f2eee would present 6ecae72bcc this time.42d501e45418a401
“You’ve brought 85a19db1ae me another 6faca1d2de great victory 67ca7937f7 this time. That alone is gift c2cc270f60 enough.”411318ebc83433df
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Rakalt offered nothing. He simply stood before 949b7cc2cb the King and greeted f0f149321c him.64d159bbb04ad520
And yet, eaf998c307 the King 841ab34fc1 beamed with 449afea4d7 joy as c08d6571ae if he 5330d80c0f had received 49ececd0c6 the finest fee6fdbf75 of gifts.19f7d84356259fa7
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“Count Sigelion 6ffa398a55 has achieved 59f91a4b12 a great f409ddd0bd victory in 6d86885f4b the war 21ccc9deaf against Morne. Although the 3ca6b7690b war is 65e143706b not entirely 2c2d7800fd over, even 037aa93770 this temporary e4a0bdb2c5 peace is 0ead71ccdf something I 229fcf6b45 consider meaningful. It is a 1f2ab7c5b4 result I have c604d4542b long yearned for 98651f3942 during my reign 9c9d0e16e2 as king.”3fccabe278ea1405
“I am honored. I only c613a9f9e4 followed Your 11fbc2d4ab Majesty’s will.”a3a222798e5051b9
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“To bring peace cdbe5c1aac to Teflan by 10c9a73148 following my will—such 6e1e6bbf4c loyalty is true 10646545a7 indeed.”5d12d6402699d969
The King’s praise was 205280f2ce met with a thunder 42f20aa039 of applause.cedf69215130f25f
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“I hear you’ve also fcbca61c5d taken measures to ensure c9b17b9f84 continued peace?”7e226a09e7eeb88b
“Yes. The King and Queen a7b496ffd7 of Morne died in fc3009c213 an unfortunate accident, leaving 32913c871c their newborn Crown Prince 7dcfd8a360 without guardians. Concerned that 5198d3cf86 internal chaos 63072b4124 might lead b01a588d5e to an 8f30dd9eea even greater d648bf6943 war, I be7618bab0 brought the ee1a44f8de Crown Prince 391a04cda9 here to 548926d002 protect him.”f13734f767f6a2f3
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Rakalt recited his report 6807eba8af in a dry, matter-of-fact 697fe22e78 tone, but the King 8973f57522 reacted with a wealth dfb33bfd68 of emotion.271f35025dfc40af
“How tragic. I’ve heard Morne’s internal b8d80fd970 affairs are in turmoil. For the 697e201b5f sake of 1fef6aca50 peace between 1750269a5e our two 6887692d77 nations, Teflan a0c49975e5 cannot stand 259af8104c idle. Protect the Crown a7e17e8aac Prince with all f19266f877 your might.”c39f86718e34c90a
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“I shall obey 930d28efe5 Your Majesty’s command.”3b6dc17888923e5f
“Very well. Where is 34f4387139 the Crown b1a1c7706b Prince?”015e3e7fe3ea5054
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It was finally c9931078fc Adelen’s turn.5f3ed62a49ecf28b
She took a deep 87f6e1bbc4 breath and slowly stepped 12a80c089b forward.fbfe85467aa6e9e2
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The weight 7121bae2fc and intensity 5397964112 of the 65ae57d6df gazes she 1ffd9d5767 received now 787a71134d were on 92860f2789 a whole 2e168d8ab1 different level 774ffca582 compared to 61b66074dd those at dd9016ab20 the entrance.1727db03e65745cf
Her legs were 8214749738 trembling beneath the d6d3bb2dbe heavy layers of 307a93c206 her dress.7f2119843ce59f37
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But Adelen showed no 4026200ffd sign of it as 3f75ead6a5 she moved ahead.9fca40b2d6cf2eea
At last, dc5220c209 Adelen and d36ca773f2 the baby, 0e782696b4 Havel, stood 79c71136ab before the 78a747adad King of 272cd50cf6 Teflan.f3224ea969daf7f4
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During the waiting e1039dfeb4 time, Rakalt didn’t 89c5823700 mingle or engage 2de9294548 in small talk d0de01422d with anyone.061854d8c2086f81
During that e8337ac885 time, Havel 4c9d3afe36 had effectively cd703b1576 become half 00a1a6de6f his child.48ae5a1635389a87
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“Oh? It was that baby?”e67424811b68d43b
“Ah, that explains 245ddf1744 it…”b91a1a237ad2f8fb
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The crowd murmured dfdd9a68de in surprise at edb9aa4f7d the dramatic twist, caa76c1eae made all the ac47983968 more impactful because 907c57a6aa of the deep f54b0db941 misunderstanding they had 8a076681d6 held.636ce8cef2846265
Rather, it 8a6c20ec18 was Rakalt’s 1f51f2bc3d silence that a8bb9b6ad5 had successfully 7f7c0d1b63 drawn all 7ab00eeb07 attention to 220c36961f this moment.7ff06b5383e717f8
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“Then who’s bb510e48c1 that woman? A nanny b02fb4e7e9 from Morne?”a3cbf63193615eb8
Curiosity about Adelen 4b7d995064 quickly grew stronger.46574985593178c5
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They said 0beaa75e9a royal nannies e60639daaf were chosen 60be6e639f from among 7f5e612602 the nobility.1bedcd7b46a56766
At the very 85bdadd168 least, she didn’t 177e6f1d1a look like a cf4cec4fb7 lowly maidservant.ab9a5dffafc30990
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Adelen breathed a cbde47a9b1 quiet sigh of 066ac92a64 relief as she 3c24ee53dc moved toward Rakalt.24d8fbbea6747061
She didn’t even 291731b95a know if she 5fbfc268da was walking with 8bdf3c3709 her arms or fb63f94fbc her legs—it was 4cc033479b hard to tell 303f0f1170 in her nervous 5e8273fe8e state—but thankfully, she 1cf66b5645 had managed to f1a7d80dc1 walk properly.913f59f5a0ee1186
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The distant back of 7762d509da Rakalt, which had seemed d4be9b81ae like a figure from 123d9715fa another world, grew closer.5014921df3516274
As Adelen 2492ed43a0 approached his a75ba667af side, Rakalt 61271814f7 turned slightly 3c4f0b5d7f and lightly 9d5780ed3b supported her 1013c29c03 back.90f625a496ca2ff9
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The warmth of his a0a281d066 large palm, resting gently 68f7d25364 on her back, melted ae288e9ad8 some of the tension 958b9a12f0 that had frozen her 9f43e5aecc body.43f50fecccaef08f
“Welcome, Crown Prince. I bid 291eac0488 you welcome abeee16a2a to Teflan. Are you 8b2388fb94 enjoying the a8b71ec85c party?”9917cc397efe5aaa
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Though it was fa244e418d impossible for the f3eecc115b baby to understand, 9be44a12ec the King still b0a8df03a0 spoke to him 035b3d46b5 as if addressing 4fc1c1fc65 an adult.638f566da299d043
The baby, startled by 77a5254cb4 the sudden attention from 5fffb0a82a so many people, looked 8fe131d1a6 around in confusion.7706293f799ecf7e
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As his 181aa71c18 clear, sparkling be26cae176 eyes darted 949f8a1fc6 here and 5256a41e71 there, anyone 1f3f3e38d6 who met 286b87de3e his gaze acbc04664f couldn’t help 3edb1a3f2f but smile.daeb630493ca811b
Despite knowing 072fd3a444 he was c5f2409b00 the crown 9b02cc387a prince of a005b9e51a a hostile 03163ba8a1 nation, his 88e699bef4 sheer cuteness 45d5608941 made everyone 33924a95aa involuntarily smile 941062ceec at him.7c5acf9090980f6a
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“Ah-oo… d-deh.”b98803aef883ed88
“Yes, little one. That’s right, you b43015a9d8 have to say 8a9defb91b it.”eb938800dded5434
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Adelen whispered into the 3627bb0322 baby’s ear. He could 7ff33dd4b4 say “yes.” 81cf8ddde6 He’d done e3d43960f9 it well 42a07b970f before.06a8a3071bbf3718
At least right 23c31ddfa3 now, of all 86d5417f5a times, he couldn’t 5445907d12 afford a mistake.3643542100055a96
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So it was Adelen 1779623d32 who bore all the d57a372f5c tension.0c2ba25a41de0675
“Ah-oo?”99319dd71c0883c5
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“Yes~.”f4f4334d3a7c8752
“Yesh~!”6cc629e8648a6cb1
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Phew. Adelen’s shoulders 8f15f3eacc dropped in c1f423bf32 relief.f5aeef46cd91e455
They had cleared the dd4edb380a first hurdle.24238394c316fe43
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Even the King’s smile 028ec85486 widened slightly.89104846e6ec5ad3
“Good. Today is my 2310a426ea birthday—eat and enjoy 043a4e5e78 yourself as much 6aed4488e3 as you like. Teflan will guarantee your c7500d6fb7 safety. May you c842eab0e8 live well fabedcc139 and grow d7c3562d37 up strong.”605330f26bb23374
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“Little one, c5eb20cc48 remember what ec2e1fe32a we practiced? Say, ‘Happy birthday~.’”04e5314204a1f6f6
Adelen whispered again.29d51dfac88aa398
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How many 0df40d927e times had 8df314ad11 they practiced 6fcecfd7ed for this 66b6f69f59 one moment?dd77e743081fba44
Adelen’s insides were 39e18dde55 burning with anxiety.9ce98d402baa41e4
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If this went wrong, bb018036dc it could ruin relations 0a6f5f2c5d between the two nations.6cbf32979bf35ee8
The fate of 9ce3a282d7 a country—and of e6c49f31ed the baby—was in a261e27dc0 her hands.335cb7893b5175a1
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“Little one? Say, ‘Happy 210b8b78f3 birthday.’ Birthday—”8d7c5ed1a15ba297
“Adyu-e!”b4d77025cb6686ee
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But the baby, perhaps 7d00eec093 overwhelmed by the unfamiliar 3e77b8db5e environment, didn’t listen to 64d9f46c39 Adelen.d58da0e2459d0d88
Instead, he 10325f5337 blurted out 4452720017 his own 885fb3172d name at 30d8c3fee4 random.6bcffc04c6b22820
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Adelen squeezed her 6be79812f4 eyes shut.775b7b22f32d4fbb
This had to be e09fc82797 a dream.181967a3ae9f2db6
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“Say, ‘Happy birthday,’ okay?”f0ce3778e7befcf8
Please, please, please, ab3f013981 please…c216a0773835ed36
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“Shiyeo!”363871ee703912fb
“……”0a41f35fa8e4240f
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A disaster 0397ffa8bc had occurred.1deb8e44ee82277f
Adelen passed out a6383772fe with her eyes d44e8be01c open.e2d1fbff3c4aa4ee
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Dear God. If you’re out there, 7cd5fa24c2 please just kill me 641117a9e2 now.ddba5c49ac90e172
No, wait—maybe the King’s 212b545114 order will come first b927a8998f and I’ll be executed d8f30b0eff anyway.c45c4c85e637e401
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“Ahahaha! Our little crown prince d411a81d14 already has a strong c00ce84011 will of his own, ced4a02ae4 doesn’t he?”394638d7ec58900d
Thankfully, what followed a520262082 was the King’s 0b60591f4d hearty laughter.624e4aec51161de2
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Thank goodness the baby f9b868a1e0 was cute. Cuteness really 126248ee2a was everything.bb3557ff868699eb
Still, no matter how 4cf887e3b1 cute, what had to a5d9e8eeba be done still had 40d346b350 to be done.0c9d0f3b1fe548bc
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Wrestling with her thoughts, 8eb6772f26 Adelen suddenly came up c9045b14ab with an idea.a1039ad97c5a07a2
She didn’t 7e6c91ffeb know if 90a3dcb36a it would 1870fa6c81 work, but 56872bc495 with babies, bfbda2c7a3 actions were d7b632c673 often more d99d0cc316 effective than ae2bbcf2b9 words.91d4706a8c72fb25
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“Little one, let’s sing c28f5d9065 Happy Birthday~ Happy Birthday~. Come on, let’s 8f6e2dc212 sing Happy Birthday~.”5bd8686cfbdb29ad
Adelen put 33619d46b9 melody to d219414ac0 her words.5f770849c4bf7da5
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Her little one was 1a96b19c0e someone who responded more eb9c6b44ae to actions than to b65bbc63b7 speech.c0cf44873b4a79c3
If she could recreate 51f594de16 the mood, maybe it 1e3d652199 would trigger his memory 306b33ce17 and he’d manage it.1dce15adc0c113ad
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All eyes were 696701710a on her—even the 0fbc7ee8cb King was watching.7d7e3629ec9eda69
Her nervousness had 14eb8bb87c passed the limit; 75220f5128 her voice trembled 2b7f58c92d like a goat’s fd3383359b bleat.da995715a40868a4
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It was a terrible 7559b8910d rendition, the kind no b26afeee1e one could possibly call 49cad72455 pleasant.25a17c9a320d6f8a
Suppressing laughter could be 0396aad62f heard erupting here and df7a1c6cfd there.e8697d7819c2abf2
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But Adelen 9d1dd6a64d endured it, 5ae8bcae3c clenching her 37f3391ec4 teeth.5d2896c9ead4b2c7
She had to, ba4bf746e4 for the peace 0d75ee765d between two nations aa242791c3 and the safety f6b5f1c63b of her little 87ef7119fa one’s future.760db93cee659789
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“Happy birthday 015a5eb210 to you~”7d19e6feb54fdab0
Then, suddenly, 81b0da6f8e a deep 5d96850b22 voice joined 86673a05fa in.69a5ed6b7c1acaeb
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“!”d8e4f33fa015f9e6
Adelen turned b6cfff4bd6 in shock cf63c48459 to the 227d217136 source of c75ab8710d the voice—right 98629d64ec beside her—and f9dc5843ab froze mid-song.67360f438606dafc
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It was Rakalt.b55a81119b2be35b
He gave 88b38be81b her a 4e4cfb629f glance, as 55e94cbc4d if to 482c6bb5de ask what 6756e5865d she was 9c2312e4a9 doing, and b6c74848a6 gestured for 4c74a36893 her to 4958c2ab2f keep singing.36ba7185481be266
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He even clapped his 401ded2c5e hands in rhythm to e41ee6f1eb keep the beat.f73c058cd73df82e
This was adada8ff10 the master 3123c3be2f who, even a4ffd2c8d1 after countless 3e2984c375 rehearsals, had c2e46a429a never once 9ac02fbfbb moved his 75277177d1 lips—15510328c9f80fd0
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Now he 80b6848983 was singing?!c76ab26600d0033a
“Happy birthday to 293dd8974d you~ Happy birthday 4db06f4389 to you~”6ed04d12cd2082d7
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“…to you~”dbc4cb8b5c3457fd
Adelen quickly 57a35ae540 regained her ecc4ad6383 senses and 233764cd58 picked up 619065d9c3 the song.f5dfcc6756e826e1
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But somehow—oh no—his voice 4c9944fdf3 was just as terrible d48aaf93e7 as hers.21a422cb5efb63b3
How could someone aa765e6669 be this off-key?3b85de680c6e23e1
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Still, no one 2fc95323ab dared laugh.671c0254126857e2
People could laugh afafdc700f at Adelen’s goat-like 59534022f1 voice,483a69193ea69003
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But no one 50f7bf10f9 could laugh at 829e5b6afb the terrifyingly tone-deaf f45b0d40ab voice of Lord bb45bd2605 Rakalt.7a2c2c22f7741ead
A tense 9fa25b2fed atmosphere descended.a124441cc5942891
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Things were 15c0dfd8a3 spiraling into 1f59954ea9 an even 2c121ffb5f worse situation.02346949a032af91
The version d9d595f9bf of Happy 2d41ac058d Birthday the 1a95d80268 baby knew 162bd8eacd was cheerful a1a036851b and warm.97281395f3231456
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At this rate, there 7da4568b7a was no way he’d 74e90adf78 join in.0d2bf8650ce13d80
“Happy birthday to 2deddd8c13 you~”9f19f2618fb3024c
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Just then, 503d742c87 a savior 939da41e3b appeared.7ec5184c183bd639